Palmer scores 28, Huskers pull away from Iowa for 98-84 win

James Palmer Jr. scored 28 points, Isaac Copeland added 23 points and 11 rebounds and Nebraska pulled away from Iowa in the second half for a 98-84 win Saturday night.

Nebraska (16-8, 7-4 Big Ten) scored its most points in a conference game since putting up 99 against Kansas State in 2002 when the Huskers were in the Big 12.

Iowa (11-12, 2-8), which beat Wisconsin on Tuesday, failed to win consecutive conference games for the first time and left coach Fran McCaffery with 399 career wins.

Jordan Bohannon and Tyler Cook each had 24 points to lead the Hawkeyes.

Copeland made his first five shots and scored 13 points in the opening 7 1/2 minutes. Seven different Huskers scored as they closed the half on a 23-10 run to grow a 25-24 lead to 48-34 at half.

Iowa got within 56-54 early in the second half, with Bohannon scoring seven quick points, 6-foot-11 freshman Luka Garza making a 3-pointer for his first basket of the game, and Ahmad Wagner scoring on a layup to make it a two-point game.

But Palmer started a decisive 15-4 run that broke open the game again. He made back-to-back 3s and scored nine points during the spurt.

Garza, after making his first 3, tried another one a minute later and only hit backboard. After a couple Iowa turnovers and a foul on Nicholas Baer, Nebraska was in control.

Isaiah Roby added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Huskers.

BIG PICTURE

Iowa: The Hawkeyes have struggled on defense all season and came in allowing 82.6 points per game against Big Ten opponents. Saturday was their worst performance. They gave up a season-high 98 points and allowed Nebraska to shoot an opponent season-best 57.7 percent and make 6 of 8 3-pointers in the second half and 11 of 19 (57.9 percent) for the game.

Nebraska: Palmer has been on a tear the last five games, averaging just under 25 points, and big man Jordy Tshimanga scored a season-high 11 points.